Hard Truths
by Mr. Chaos
Summary: When Temperance and Hannah go out for a drink, Hanna, still dealing with breaking up with Booth, calls Temperance out on how she treats people. For fans of Temperance, this will not be a good story.


Temperance Brennan wasn't for sure how they had gotten to this point. Perhaps, in hindsight, this had been a bad idea. Angela had warned her that only bad would come out of this, but she hadn't listened, unable to understand what the problem would be. Yes, Booth and Hanna had broken up. And yes, it was through Booth that Temperance knew Hanna. But that didn't mean that just break Booth and Hanna didn't want to see each other that Temperance was forced to do the same. Infact, historically speaking, taking such measures, more often than not, caused more strife than they prevented.

So, she had invited Hanna out for drinks, with the promise that they would not discuss anything involving Booth. And Temperance had been proud that she had been able to keep her word. They had discussed politics, opinions on books (though Hanna had waxed on and on about Kevin Allen's new book, when Temperance had wanted nothing more than to discuss a new article on cranium fractures she had read a few nights ago) and so on.

Things had been going smoothly, until Hanna had begun discussing an article a friend of her at the paper was working on.

"So it is about bullies?" Temperance asked.

"Yes, and it is very engaging! You would not believe how intricate the world of bullying is." Hanna was bouncing up and down in her chair, the affects of the alcohol taking their toll on her.

"I can't see how. Bullies, for the most part, are driven by a need for physical power. They represent youth's mimicry of adults that seek control through the battlefield."

Hanna shook her head. "No no no...there is more too it than that." She leaned over, clearly drunk. "What about the egghead bullies?"

"Egghead bullies?"

"Yeah! You know, the ones that use their brains to gain power?"

Temperance shook her head. "I don't understand what you are getting at."

Hanna, getting into the topic, and clearly completely wasted, looked at Temperance and snorted. "Please, you should know about using your brains instead of your body to be a bully! You do it all the time!"

Temperance tried to remain calm. "I don't follow you."

"Right there, that is one way you do it. "I don't understand." Ha!" Hanna giggled to herself. "You understand plenty. You pretend you don't understand a pop culture reference or a comment someone makes in order to belittle them. You are practically saying that because you, the highly educated Temperance Brennan, don't know it, it isn't worth crap!"

"You...you are clearly drunk." Temperance stammered.

"Nah, I'm great! Another apple-tini over here!" Hanna slammed her fist against the bar before continuing. "I can't believe you don't realize you are even doing it! You bully everyone you meet, mistreating them and mocking them, just so you can feel better about yourself!"

"I certainly do not, and why would I even need too?" Temperance argued. "I am highly attractive, the top of my field and a gifted writer. There is no reason for me to bully anyone."

Hanna, however, nearly choked on her drink, she was laughing so hard. "You just did it again!"

"Did what?"

"You are trying to bully me! Only now, you are saying my opinion doesn't matter because you are so great and so wonderful and I am not."

"I didn't say that."

"Yes you did. Wow, you don't even...even hear yourself saying it, huh? Can I have a sip of that, my drink is takin' too long." Hanna snatched Temperance's wine glass and took a long swig. "mmmmmm."

"I am not doing that to...to...to make fun of you, or belittle you. I am merely stating the facts."

"Really?" Hanna asked, her smile falling. "And if someone were to say you were a heartless bitch...would you be ok with that? I mean, it's just a fact."

Temperance looked as if she had been slapped. "That...that isn't a fact. That is an opinion, based upon emotion."

"But what you say isn't?"

"Of course not. I'm a scientist."

Hanna nodded, murmuring to herself for a moment. "Yes...a scientist. A forensic anthropologist." She clicked her tongue several times. "You know...I had one of my research boys look in on that...your doctrines are all medical."

"That is correct, I am a forensic anthropologist." Temperance couldn't figure out why Hanna was going down this path. Before she could ask, Hanna began to talk again.

"Infact, you have only basic cultural anthropology training. Your entire focus is on the medical aspects." Hanna looked at her through blurry eyes. "So why the hell do you think you are qualified to make comments about culture and claim to be a scientist when doing so...when you have no backing for it."

"I-"

"Infact, Dr. Sweets has more education on the subject...but you shoot him down." Hanna laughed. "Again, bullying."

"Hanna, I think I should call it a night-"

Hanna grabbed her arm, forcing Temperance to sit. "What...running away because someone is telling you the truth? You are able to get away with doing this all the time, because you act all ditzy and naive."

"I am not na-"

"Hey, hey, hey...ok...ok...lets just ignore the fact that you are acting like an expert in something that you have no understanding off...that you spout off about religion and culture and personal beliefs when you don't know jack squat about them...let's ignore that. I got a question for you...do all scientists act like you? Do they all look at the people them claim to be studying to tell them they are wrong?"

"I don't-"

Hanna interupted again. "I can see it now...you find a lost tribe in the Amazon, who have never seen another person in 2000 years. And what is the first thing you say? "Did you know that the sun isn't a god, but a ball of gas? Worshiping it is rather stupid!" Yeah...that's what you'd say, Teeeeeeemmmmmmmmmmmpriss priss prissy priss priss." Hanna had gone from the happy drunk stage to the mean drunk, and Temperance was no longer having fun. "Scientists are suppose to examine the evidence and maintain their distance. But you don't. You interject your opinions, your beliefs...you aren't a scientist, you are a bully! A big bossy bully with...boobies." Hanna laid her head on the bartop, murmuring as she enjoyed the cool feeling against her forehead.

"I'm not a bully," Temperance murmured, more to herself than anyone else.

"Yeah...ya are..." Hanna mumbled. "And you know why? Because for all your good looks and big jiggly brains, you are a lonely woman that is scared to interact with anyone. So you lash out at those that make you feel all alone...thing is...doing that makes you more alone...until there is no one left to bully but yourself..."

And with that, Hanna passed out.

Temperance sat at the bar, watching as her...friend...snorted in her sleep, tears stinging her eyes.

"I'm not a bully," She whispered. "I'm not."

Maybe, if she kept saying it...she'd actually believe it.

~MC~MC~MC~

Author's Notes: I am sure I am going to get alot of people mad about this story. But the truth is, the way Temperance has been written, this is something that should have happened. She has become more closed minded and...well, bitchy...as the seasons have rolled on. Someone should call her out on it.

That said, I do love the character, I just think she needs to pay the price for her actions and her words.


End file.
